The first instant I saw the coneflower, I thought it was one in a million with its giant five-inch-plus golden blooms that at first reminded me of a gloriosa daisy. I am talking about the new Color Coded One in a Melon coneflower making its debut next year. Last week I told you about the new Double Coded or double coneflowers Butter Pecan and Raspberry Beret, but this week, at The Garden Guy’s house, the wild kingdom is being played out on the Color Coded One in a Melon plants.
I was only able to rustle up one plant in early spring for my trials. It was like having a juicy sirloin strip and only getting one bite. Oh, I wanted more, as I could tell this coneflower had the possibility of being one for the ages. It is a thoroughbred in all aspects. It is tall, reaching 24- to 26-inches with a 20inch spread. The flowers are huge with many exceeding 5 inches. The summer was one of heat-index misery but they persisted, just like the flaming Color Coded Orange You Awesome variety.
Later on, I was able to come up with about a half dozen more plants to temper my plant lusting. One in a Melon is special in its color progression. It starts off golden orange and matures to the melon or a vibrant butter yellow. While we often use the term fade, reflecting a that flower has lost some pizazz, in the case of One in a Melon, its mature color is just as beautiful and complements the new emerging blossoms.
